Ultimate Beach Umbrellas

Now that the lazy, hazy days of summer are finally here, it's time to think about sun protection--and we're not just talking sunscreen and UV clothing . Whether you're at the beach, the lake, or even the local park, a portable umbrella offers additional protection from the sun's damaging rays. Bonus: It's cooler in the shade.

Our top picks:

Titanium Beach Umbrella $72 (coolibar.com) This 5 foot wide, 7 foot tall umbrella is easy to put together and plant in the ground, folds down to a mere 45 inches, weighs only about 4 pounds, and comes with its own carrying case. The silver outer fabric reflects the UV rays while the green underside fabric absorbs them, making for good sun blockage. And when you come out of the water, it's hard to miss among the sea of striped umbrellas.

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PortaBrella $40 (shadeusa.com) If you're always beyond loaded down with stuff, this little guy won't add too much to your burden. Folded down it's only 24 inches long. It too comes inches with a carrying case and is easy to set up.

Remember that even if you're sitting in the shade of an umbrella, you still need to slather yourself and the kids with sunscreen. For complete information on sun protection read what our GHRI director Miriam Arond has to say.